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Once you figure out MIDI you will LOVE IT and you will see why it hasn't really changed since the 80's (Except for getting some USB functionality)
It's so functional and yet so simple.....
You'll wanna read up on it and learn but a basic explanation is:
Midi cable carries digital information... pretty basic info.... just instructions.. if you will
It communicates a few different things.....
What note is hit it pretty much just send a number from 0-127
velocity (How hard a key/pad was hit) in the range of 0-127
in terms of pitch bend or modulation it's a range from 0-127 and then it sends control codes that tell your other equipment the tempo.. to start playing.. to stop.. to record....
In your average DAW.. almost any function or parameter can be set to a midi fader/slider on a midi keyboard or control surface......
Connecting gear with MIDI does 2 things....
1. Your one keyboard (Or keyboard controller) can control the sounds in a midi module.. another keyboard.. a drum machine or even inside your computer with a virtual instrument....
and 2. It can sync it so it will all play when you hit start on your master... and if you are sending MTC (Midi Time Code) then it will stay synced up throughout recording/playback
Each MIDI cable transmits 16 channels of midi info....
Here is a quick setup/example.....
I have an AXIOM 61 plugged into my MPC drum machine using MIDI...
I have my MPC MIDI out going into my Yamaha Motif ES rack....
When I play something on the Axiom... it sends the code to the MPC... if I have the MPC set to transmit MIDI.. it will send that code to the motif.... in the MPC i specify which midi channel (1-16) the code is sent over....
In the MOtif rack I have 16 separate places on the internal mixer to set instruments... so if the MPC is sending the info over channel 1a (With "a" being the midi output) then it will control whatever instrument is in track 1 of the motif... 2a controls instrument 2 and so on.. The MPC stores the data on separate tracks.. so I can have up to 16 instruments from the MOTIF playing at the same time.....
and I have the MIDI output from my DAW going into the other MIDI input on the MPC... so when I arm a track for recording and select the input coming from the MPC or MOTIF.. I can just hit record in my DAW and the MPC and MOTIF will start playing and thereby recording into my DAW
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